Schadenfreude

In an attempt to understand God's love better, I have been walking my leader small group through one of the most popular passages read at a wedding...1 Corinthians 13:4-8.
This week we are on vs. 6: "Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth." I have been learning so much about this and have found great wisdom from Ted Schroder (blog writer) & the website Got questions and wanted to share what I found this week.

Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth......We here in America don't have a word for this but the Germans do...its Schadenfreude. Pronounced like Shaw.den.frued.a.
This means: Satisfaction or pleasure felt at someone else's misfortune.

Scahdenfreude is a part of our culture, everyone one of us experience it. For example: we applaud when the opposing team fumbles the ball in football. We get a thrill when a car crashes at the Daytona 500. If a star player from the other team gets hurt, we may care that they are ok, but inside we are like YESSSS!!! now we can win!! Right? Aren't we like this!?

Its central to Television as well....think about it...what is the whole premise of the 3 Stooges? Pleasure felt at someone else misfortune, right? What about Tom & Jerry? Roadrunner? Even more up to date shows....there are shows called Revenge, and Scandal...Nashville...all based out of schadenfreude.

There is a part of us that delights when our enemy suffer right? We feel justified when people whom we loathe (because they hurt us or for whatever reason you may have) suffers.

.....love does not delight in evil....but rejoices with the truth.....Think about it though.....when love enters the picture, doesn't the whole equation change?
When its a friend that falls from grace, we are sad for them. Or when our loved one encounters adversity, or bad things happen to them, or when the medical diagnosis is poor, we become sad and shocked. We are broken and hurting with and for them, right?

Its hard to delight in the misfortunes of those you love, no matter what they have done, isn't it?
Love--Loves the truth.
Love--Does not love evil
Love--Rejoices with the good news that Jesus has triumphed over evil on the cross.
Evil is the antithesis of the truth & Jesus came to save us from evil. Therefore, we can not delight in evil AND rejoice with the truth. We have to choose between the two.

Psalm 5:4 says: "You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil; with you the wicked cannot dwell.

Psalm 1:1-2, "Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night."
-doesn't walk in the counsel of the wicked.
-delights and mediates on his law...
now read vs. 3: "He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers."

There is simple wisdom in these 3 verses:
-->The more we delight in Gods presence, the more fruitful we are.

(side note)
I do want to point out that the end part, "whatever he does prospers" does not mean immunity from failure or difficulties. Nor are we guaranteed health, wealth, and happiness.

What this means is: When we apply Gods wisdom, the fruit will produce actions and attitudes that honor God. 
Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth......the better we understand LOVE, the more we will sorrow over those who commit sin, and the less we will respond out of schadenfreude.

Where are you currently struggling with schadenfreude?